Daft One
by Enchanted Evangeline
Summary: During the Procession. Kel and Cleon want to be alone...does only Neal seem to understand? How innocent is Owen really? One-shot.


A/N: Just another random idea that popped into my head. This will ONLY be a one-shot because I HATE CLEON WITH A FIERY PASSION! This will not go into their relationship during _Squire _(thank goodness he had to marry Emerlian or whatever her name was...). This is mostly just some random commentary with Neal, Owen and Merric as I love them! So for all you Kel/Cleon lovers (yuck!) I apologize in advance.

This takes place during _Squire_, during the Procession, although I could not find the exact moment in the book, I know it exsists.

ENJOY!

-

"Nervous for another joust?"

"Owen! Not helping!" Cleon rolled his eyes at the younger boy as Neal slapped him lightly upside the head.

Kel nervously bit her lip, but quickly stopped. "I am stone, I am stone."

The group was walking around the camp where the knights and their squires were sleeping outside the current fief on the Procession. No one cared which fief they were at anymore, as long as they got to eat and rest - and watch the jousting tournaments.

"If I lose, I lose. I'm not...nervous."

Neal cocked an eyebrow - was she assuring them or herself? His eyebrow went up even higher as he noticed Cleon rub Kel's arm. '_What?'_ He thought for a minute when it hit him. 'Oh yeah, Cleon and Kel...' he tried not to shudder but he did. It just felt, wrong to him. But whatever made them happy...for the moment at least.

He coughed and Cleon's hand instantly left her arm and his cheeks turned a slight rosy color.

Neal yawned loudly and dramatically, "Well, I'm beat...I mean, serving the Lioness all day long can be tiring. I think I'll be going."

Merric gave him a questioning look, but he too saw Cleon's hand, and quickly caught on. "Yeah, me too." He paused, "I mean, I didn't serve the Lioness, but I'm tired too...Owen?"

"Guys! It's barely that late, I mean, come-OW!" Neal had kicked him in the shin and followed Neal's eyes. "Oh...yeah, whew! I'm _exhausted!_ Look at the time! Wow! Goodnight Cleon. Kel. Good luck tomorrow!"

He turned around and stumbled, but got up and ran after Neal and Merric. "Are you really that daft?" Neal drawled.

"What?"

"He is only 13..."

"Still! Was it not obvious that Cleon and Kel wanted to be alone?"

"Why would they want to be alone?"

This time Merric and Neal _both_ rolled their eyes. "Wow, he really _is_ that daft!"

"What?" Owen stopped in the middle of the clearing between a few tents and stomped his foot. "Why did they want to be alone?"

Neal grabbed his arm and dragged him to the side of the clearing so that they three boys were hidden among the shadows. "Well, Daft Owen, when a man loves a woman..."

"Uck! Gross! Cleon and Kel can't be in _love_! CAN they?"

Merric chuckled. "Well, no, not really. They just happen to like each other, and they wanted to be alone so they could..." he looked at Neal pleadingly.

"What? Talk about the tournament?"

Neal sighed. How could he break this kind of news to such a innocent looking little Page? "Come with me, Daft One."

He beckoned Merric and Owen to follow, and he led them to a large tent. "Excuse me, do you know where Sergeant Domitan is?" A short man pointed his hand towards a cot, and walked away. "Thanks...I guess. Ah! Dear Cousin!"

"Meathead? What are _you_ doing here?" He got off his cot and hugged his younger cousin.

"Domitan, would you please explain to this innocent little boy what a man and woman do when they love each other?"

Dom's face grew very red and he loosened his collar - or at least tried to, which was difficult when he had no collar. "Well..."

Neal's face grew red too. "No! Not _that_!" Dom sighed in relief. "Say a 14-year-old girl and a slightly older boy, who wanted time alone to merely..._talk._"

"Ooooh...well, see..."

"Owen."

"Owen. Yes, of course. See, when a boy and a girl like each other and want to be alone they can talk, but they also usually want to kiss."

"Kiss?"

Neal smacked his forehead. "Do you now know what kissing is boy?"

Owen shook his head.

Merric clapped his hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh.

Owen's eyes widended as he understood what the word 'kissing' meant. "Oh, wait, no I know what that is!"

"Oh, thank the gods! He knows something!"

"But ew, why would Kel and Cleon want to do that?"

No one noticed but Dom's usually sapphire blues eyes darkened slightly. "Kel and Cleon, eh?"

"Owen, they like each other...don't worry about it."

"How long?" Dom clenched one fist, but kept his cool.

"Only a little while," he whispered and leaned over so only could Dom could hear. "And I doubt it will last long."

"Oh?"

"Well, this is the first guy Kel's liked, and Cleon is older than her, and he'll probably have to marry some court lady with a large dowry."

"Ah, yes, of course. Well, if you'll excuse me, lads, I better be getting back to sleep."

They nodded. "Thanks, dear cousin."

"Anytime, Meathead."

The three boys got outside of the tent and walked towards their own.

"Meathead, hm?"

"Shut it, Hollyrose."

-

SOO random, I know! But it popped into my head, and I just had to write it...the title is so random too, I know. Dom might seem OOC, but I felt like putting that in...foreshadowing for a post-_Lady Knight_ book! PLEASE REVIEW!

-AE!


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